The East coast of Oz is currently experiencing a lot of shark activity: the sharks have followed the food supply in closer to shore than usual, and there have been a number of incidents involving surfers and sharks over the last two months.

Ann

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Ann, with Jim, aboard US s/v Insatiable II, in Oz, very long term cruisers

The East coast of Oz is currently experiencing a lot of shark activity: the sharks have followed the food supply in closer to shore than usual, and there have been a number of incidents involving surfers and sharks over the last two months.

Ann

Yes, not thrilled about this either as I am redoing my PADI license in a few weeks off the NSW coast.

__________________All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangereous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence

The East coast of Oz is currently experiencing a lot of shark activity: the sharks have followed the food supply in closer to shore than usual, and there have been a number of incidents involving surfers and sharks over the last two months.

Ann

I'm very familiar with the sad "Nina" story. I was merely pointing out the "New Bermuda Triangle" aspect of it all.

None of the observations I can find show significant wind at the time, but they are all shore based observations, I don't know the East Coast at all well, so don't know how relevant they are.

I wonder if the "small dinghy" was launched as a life raft from a sinking boat. If the dinghy was an inflatable it would still be washed ashore if the occupants had been unable to stay in it. I imagine an inflatable small enough for a 26 footer would be difficult to stay in on the open ocean.

None of the observations I can find show significant wind at the time, but they are all shore based observations, I don't know the East Coast at all well, so don't know how relevant they are.

I wonder if the "small dinghy" was launched as a life raft from a sinking boat. If the dinghy was an inflatable it would still be washed ashore if the occupants had been unable to stay in it. I imagine an inflatable small enough for a 26 footer would be difficult to stay in on the open ocean.

Well I do like to speculate…

Small yacht (26'), short coastal passage, two crew >70, probably remained reasonably close to shore, thus coastal observations should suggest similar weather for vessel.

Most (all?) Aussie boats carry the required EPRIB but this apparently not activated therefore suggests either sudden catastrophic loss of boat or progressive MOB's. Perhaps one launched dinghy to assist the other and then it went pear shaped.

Whatever happened, it is sad and a reminder that bad outcomes do occur.

__________________All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangereous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence

Daily Mail report says big waves. Not big when looking at "passage weather" but they could be steepening up and irregular close to shore and therefore big for a small boat.
Sad ending to a good adventure.

Daily Mail report says big waves. Not big when looking at "passage weather" but they could be steepening up and irregular close to shore and therefore big for a small boat.
Sad ending to a good adventure.

Possibly encountered a spot of strong east coast current (northerly) set against southerly weather???

But hard to imagine that would cause sudden sinking but might cause MOB.

__________________All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangereous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence

My statement was tongue-in-cheek. Not making light of this sad story, yet the unexplained Kaz II incident has always intrigued me.

I had not heard of it before until you posted. It is intriguing based on the wiki article. It looks like the authorities did a thorough task in investigating it thought. no doubt in the end just one mistake after another.